Lucio Izzo is an adjunct professor in Public and Cultural Diplomacy at the Università di Napoli L'Orientale, as well as Arts and Culture Consultant for Fondazione EBRIS Salerno. He previously served at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI)'s Directorate General for Public and Cultural Diplomacy and Directorate General for Country Promotion. He led the joint promotion of the “Sistema Italia” in collaboration with Italian institutions and companies operating abroad; conception, organization and management of cultural events, programs and joint research projects between Italian and foreign institutions, with particular reference to universities and public and private Research and Development centers. He has also carried out research and teaching in the field of public and cultural diplomacy and current trends in soft power, from the dissemination of Italian as foreign and second language to issues of scientific diplomacy.